QMI Agency

The UFC announced Monday that Weidman injured his knee in training — he will have “minor surgery,” the organization said — and will be unable to fight Lyoto Machida at UFC 1273 in Las Vegas May 24. Machida was a replacement for Vitor Belfort, who pulled out after Nevada banned testosterone replacement therapy.

Weidman and Machida will now headline UFC 175 July 5, also in Las Vegas.

“This is something that’s been bothering him for a while,” UFC president Dana White told Yahoo! Sports. “The knee pops out and (the UFC) told him a while ago to just get it taken care of and be done with it. He didn’t do it and, unfortunately, it became more and more of a problem for him.”

White added that Weidman will need 4-6 weeks to recover.

A new main event for UFC 173 will be announced “in the days to come,” the UFC said in a statement.

The fight against Machida will be Weidman’s first since he beat Anderson Silva at UFC 168 in December to retain the middleweight title. Silva broke his leg in the second round to keep Weidman undefeated at 11-0.